Jamaat-e-Islami Leader Sheikh Muhammad Karakunnu States ‘No Believer Can Reject Islamic Republic’
Amidst ongoing discussions surrounding Jamaat-e-Islami’s stance on a religious state, Sheikh Muhammad Karakunnu, the state general secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami, asserted that no true believer in Islam can reject the concept of an Islamic Republic. Karakunnu elaborated on his views via a Facebook post, stating that Prophet Muhammad himself founded the Islamic Republic, a state he claimed was established without any bloodshed.
His remarks come in the wake of comments made by Opposition leader V.D. Satheesan on June 10, who had previously indicated that Jamaat-e-Islami had significantly evolved and no longer espoused the ideology of a religious state. Satheesan’s statement had ignited considerable debate.
Karakunnu humbly urged critics of the Islamic Republic to undertake a deeper study of its principles and history. He maintained that it would be impossible for any believer who holds love for the Prophet to oppose such a concept. His post was notably framed with the provocative question, “Will true believers reject the Islamic Republic?”
In his detailed Facebook note, Karakunnu further expounded on the origins and nature of the Islamic Republic. He highlighted that the Prophet was its founder, with Madina serving as its capital. He emphasized that the Prophet was welcomed and chosen as ruler by the local populace, who subsequently named their city Madinathunnabi (the City of the Prophet) in his honor. Karakunnu described this early Islamic state as an “ideological, humane, and pluralistic nation.” He pointed out that at its inception, the Muslim population in Madina was merely 15 percent, and even during the reign of Umar al-Farooq, a prominent ruler of this historical republic, the Muslim demographic was less than four percent. He reiterated his plea for critics to thoroughly examine the Islamic Republic, concluding that “no true believer who loves the Prophet even a little can reject it.”
The broader discussion around Jamaat-e-Islami’s position on a religious state continues to be a prominent topic in Kerala’s political discourse, particularly following the Opposition leader’s recent assertions.